Foot protection device

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a foot protection device includes a pressure sensing layer, a deformation layer, and a control module. The pressure sensing layer is configured to measure pressure value between a wearer&#39;s foot and the pressure sensing layer. The control module is electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer and the deformation layer to receive a pressure values obtained by the pressure sensing layer and control thickness of each area of the deformation layer according to the pressure value.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Taiwan Patent Application No. 106106577, filed on Feb. 28, 2017, in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a protection for feet, and more particularly to a foot protection device.

BACKGROUND

Most shoes are made in standard sizes or standard shapes or structures. People's feet, however, are not shaped the same. For example, some people's feet have high arch, while others's feet have low arch. Most of the time, a person's left and right feet are not exactly the same. As such, standardized shoes can cause discomfort and potential physical injuries, especially when worn while doing strenuous exercises. People can purchase custom-made shoes that are shaped to their feet. These custom shoes, however, are not only costly but also time consuming to make.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic section view of an exemplary embodiment of a foot protection device.

FIG. 2 is schematic section view of a pressure sensing layer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic section view of a thickness deformation of a deformation layer.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the foot protection device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line VI-VI of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to be better illustrate details and features. The description is not to considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.

The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “outside” refers to a region that is beyond the outermost confines of a physical object. The term “inside” indicates that at least a portion of a region is partially contained within a boundary formed by the object. The term “substantially” is defined to essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates a foot protection device 100, which includes a pressure sensing layer 110, a deformation layer 120, and a control module 130. Both of the pressure sensing layer 110 and the deformation layer 120 are layered structure. The control module 130 is electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer 110 and the deformation layer 120, respectively.

The pressure sensing layer 110 includes a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to the first surface 111. The pressure sensing layer 110 is capable of measuring pressure provided by a wearer's foot. The deformation layer 120 includes a third surface 121 and a fourth surface 122 opposite to the third surface 121.

The first surface 111 is disposed near a wearer's foot and the second surface 112 is disposed near the third surface 121. In one embodiment, the second surface 112 directly contacts the third surface 121. The fourth surface 122 is disposed near the inner surface of the sole. In one embodiment, the fourth surface 122 directly contacts the inner surface of the sole.

In one embodiment, the foot protection device 100 further includes a pressure buffer layer 140 located between the pressure sensing layer 110 and the wearer's foot. The pressure buffer layer 140 can be made of a flexible material with certain elasticity. For example, the pressure buffer layer 140 can be made of rubber, leather, fabrics, etc. The foot protection device 100 can further include a communication module 150 configured to communicate with an external controller, such as a cell phone. In one embodiment, the communication module 150 can communicate with an external controller through Bluetooth, zigbee, WiFi or other protocols. The external controller can receive the pressure value obtained by the pressure sensing layer 110 and the thickness value in different sections of the deformation layer 120 through the communication module 150. The foot protection device 100 may receive an external command sent by the external controller through the communication module 150 to change the thickness in different regions of the deformation layer 120.

Referring to FIG. 2, the pressure sensing layer 110 includes at least one pressure sensors 113. The pressure sensor 113 collects pressure asserted by the wear's foot. The pressure sensor 113 can be a piezoelectric sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, a resistive pressure sensor, a piezoresistive pressure sensor, etc. In one embodiment, the pressure sensing layer 110 includes a plurality of piezoelectric pressure sensors, as the pressure sensor 113, uniformly evenly distributed.

Referring to FIG. 3, the deformation layer 120 is a layered structure. The deformation layer has many regions with varied thickness level that can be adjusted. In one embodiment, the deformation layer 120 shape conforms to the wearer's foot.

FIG. 4 illustrate another embodiment of the deformation layer 12, which includes a plurality of areas 123, containing a plurality of the pressure sensor 113. The number of the plurality of areas 123 can be set as n, where n>1 and it is an integer. The thickness of each area 123 can be set as d1, d2 . . . dn. The thickness of each area 123 can be adjusted according to a control signal sent by the control module 130.

For example, each area 123 can include a spring and a first control unit. The first control unit is configured to adjust the length of the corresponding spring according to a control signal sent by the control module 130.

For another example, each area 123 can include a micro air cushion and a second control unit. The second control unit is configured to adjust the inflation level of the corresponding air cushion according to a control signal sent by the control module 130.

The control module 130 is electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer 110 and the deformation layer 120, respectively. The control module 130 is configured to receive the pressure values obtained by the pressure sensing layer 110 and control the thickness of each area 123 according to the corresponding pressure value.

Referring to FIG. 5, in one embodiment, the pressure sensing layer 110 include n pressure sensors 113, and then pressure sensors 113 can be set as T1, T2, . . . Tn. Each pressure sensor 113 corresponds to an area 123.

Specifically, when the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 113 is greater than a preset pressure value, the control module 130 controls the deformation layer 120 to gradually reduce the thickness at the corresponding position until the pressure value measured by the sensor 113 is equal to the preset pressure value; when the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 113 is less than the preset pressure value, the control module 130 controls the deformation layer 120 gradually increases the thickness at the corresponding position until the pressure value measured by the pressure sensor 113 is equal to the preset pressure value.

A smart shoe of one exemplary embodiment is provided. The smart shoe includes a sole, an upper, and a foot protection device 100 provided in the first embodiment.

The foot protection device 100 includes a pressure sensing layer 110, a deformation layer 120, and a control module 130. Both of the pressure sensing layer 110 and the deformation layer 120 are layered structure. The pressure sensing layer 110 includes a first surface 111 and a second surface 112 opposite to the first surface 111. The deformation layer 120 includes a third surface 121 and a fourth surface 122 opposite to the third surface 121.

The first surface 111 is disposed near the wearer's foot and the second surface 112 is disposed near the third surface 121. In one embodiment, the second surface 112 and the third surface 121 is directly contacted. The fourth surface 122 is disposed near the inner surface of the sole. In one embodiment, the fourth surface 122 is directly contacted to the inner surface of the sole.

The control module 130 is electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer 110 and the deformation layer 120, respectively. The position of the control module 130 can be selected according to need. For example, the control module 130 can be located between the second surface 112 and the third surface 121; or the control module 130 can be located between the fourth surface 122 and the inner surface of the sole; or the control module 130 can be located inside the pressure sensing layer 110; or the control module 130 can be located inside the deformation layer 120; or the control module 130 can be located on the surface or inside the upper.

The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the forego description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including, the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.

Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps of methods described may be removed, others may be added, and the sequence of steps may be altered. The description and the claims drawn to a method may include some indication in reference to certain steps. However, the indication used is only to be viewed for identification purposes and not as a suggestion as to an order for the steps. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A foot protection device, comprising: a pressure sensing layer configured to measure a foot pressure provided by a wearer's foot; a deformation layer comprising at least one area; and a control module electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer and the deformation layer, and the control module configured to, after receiving the foot pressure from the pressure sensing layer, adjust the thickness of the at least one area according to the foot pressure.
 2. The foot protection device of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensing layer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors.
 3. The foot protection device of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensors corresponds to each of the at least one area.
 4. The foot protection device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are piezoelectric sensors, capacitive pressure sensors, resistive pressure sensors, or piezoresistive pressure sensors.
 5. The foot protection device of claim 1, further comprising a communication module electrically connected to the control module, and configured to communicate with an external controller.
 6. The foot protection device of claim 5, wherein the communication module communicates with the external controller through Bluetooth, zigbee, or WiFi.
 7. The foot protection device of claim 5, wherein the communication module sends the foot pressure to the external controller and receives an external command from the external controller to adjust the thickness of the at least one area of the deformation layer.
 8. The foot protection device of claim 1, further comprising a pressure buffer layer located above the pressure sensing layer.
 9. The foot protection device of claim 1, wherein each the at least one area comprises a spring and a first control unit, and the first control unit configured to adjust a length of the spring according to a control signal sent by the control module.
 10. The foot protection device of claim 1, wherein each at least one area comprises a micro air cushion and a second control unit, the second control unit is configured to adjust an inflation level of the air cushion according to a control signal sent by the control module.
 11. The foot protection device of claim 3, wherein when the foot pressure measured by the plurality of pressure sensors is greater than a preset pressure value, the control module controls the deformation layer to gradually reduce thickness of a corresponding area of the deformation layer until the foot pressure is equal to the preset pressure value.
 12. The foot protection device of claim 3, wherein when the foot pressure measured by the plurality of pressure sensors is less than a preset pressure value, the control module controls the deformation layer to gradually increases thickness of a corresponding area of the deformation layer until the foot pressure is equal to the preset pressure value.
 13. The foot protection device of claim 1, wherein a first shape of the pressure sensing layer and a second shape of the deformation layer conform to the shape of the wearer's foot.
 14. A smart shoe, comprising: a sole, an upper, and a foot protection device; wherein the foot protection device comprises: a pressure sensing layer configured to measure a foot pressure provided by a wearer's foot; a deformation layer comprising at least one area; and a control module electrically connected with the pressure sensing layer and the deformation layer, and the control module configured to, after receiving the foot pressure from the pressure sensing layer, adjust the thickness of the at least one area according to the foot pressure.
 15. The smart shoe of claim 14, wherein the pressure sensing layer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors.
 16. The smart shoe of claim 14, wherein each of the pressure sensors corresponds to each of the at least one area.
 17. The smart shoe of claim 14, wherein each the at least one area comprises a spring and a first control unit, and the first control unit is configured to adjust a length of the spring according to a control signal sent by the control module.
 18. The smart shoe of claim 14, wherein each of the at least one area comprises a micro air cushion and a second control unit, the second control unit is configured to adjust an inflation level of the air cushion according to a control signal sent by the control module. 